Matrix sensing apparatus

Abstract

A matrix sensing apparatus with architecture having reduced quantity of required sensing lines is disclosed. The matrix sensing apparatus includes a plurality of driving lines, a plurality of sensing lines and a matrix sensing region. The matrix sensing region includes a plurality of sensing areas. Each sensing area includes a first transistor, a second transistor, and a sensing unit for generating a sensing signal. The first transistor is coupled to the sensing unit and a corresponding sensing line. The second transistor is coupled to the first transistor, a first corresponding driving line and a second corresponding driving line. The first transistor together with the second transistor functions to control the signal connection between the sensing unit and the corresponding sensing line based on the driving signals of the first and second corresponding driving lines.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A matrix sensing apparatus comprising:
 a plurality of driving lines for receiving a plurality of driving signals; 
 a plurality of sensing lines for outputting a plurality of sensing signals; and 
 a matrix sensing region comprising a plurality of sensing areas, each of the sensing areas comprising:
 a sensing unit for generating a corresponding sensing signal of the plurality of sensing signals; 
 a first transistor comprising a first end electrically coupled to the sensing unit for receiving the corresponding sensing signal, a second end electrically coupled to a corresponding sensing line of the plurality of sensing lines, and a gate; and 
 a second transistor comprising a first end electrically coupled to the gate of the first transistor, a gate electrically coupled to a first driving line of the plurality of driving lines for receiving a first driving signal of the plurality of driving signals, and a second end electrically coupled to a second driving line of the plurality of driving lines for receiving a second driving signal of the plurality of driving signals; 
 wherein the first transistor and the second transistor control a signal connection between the sensing unit and the corresponding sensing line based on the first driving signal and the second driving signal. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The matrix sensing apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a driving circuit electrically coupled to the plurality of driving lines for providing the plurality of driving signals; 
 an analog multiplex unit electrically coupled to the plurality of sensing lines for receiving the plurality of sensing signals, the analog multiplex unit generating an analog multiplex signal by performing a selection operation over the plurality of sensing signals; and 
 a micro-controller unit electrically coupled to the driving circuit and the analog multiplex unit. 
 
     
     
       3. The matrix sensing apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 an analog-to-digital conversion unit, electrically coupled to the analog multiplex unit, for converting the analog multiplex signal into a digital multiplex signal. 
 
     
     
       4. The matrix sensing apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the micro-controller unit comprises:
 a coordinate mapping unit, electrically coupled to the analog-to-digital conversion unit, for mapping the digital multiplex signal to a corresponding coordinate signal. 
 
     
     
       5. The matrix sensing apparatus of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a coordinate mapping unit, electrically coupled between the micro-controller unit and the analog-to-digital conversion unit, for mapping the digital multiplex signal to a corresponding coordinate signal. 
 
     
     
       6. The matrix sensing apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the micro-controller unit outputs a control signal to the driving circuit, and the driving circuit provides the plurality of driving signals based on the control signal. 
     
     
       7. The matrix sensing apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the micro-controller unit outputs a selection signal to the analog multiplex unit, and the analog multiplex unit generates the analog multiplex signal by selecting a corresponding sensing signal of the plurality of sensing signals based on the selection signal. 
     
     
       8. The matrix sensing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sensing unit comprises a pressure sensing device or a light sensing device. 
     
     
       9. The matrix sensing apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the pressure sensing device is a capacitive pressure sensing device or a piezoelectric device. 
     
     
       10. The matrix sensing apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the light sensing device is a photo-diode or a photo-transistor. 
     
     
       11. The matrix sensing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first transistor is a metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) field effect transistor or a thin film transistor. 
     
     
       12. The matrix sensing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second transistor is a MOS field effect transistor or a thin film transistor. 
     
     
       13. The matrix sensing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein an nth row of sensing areas of the matrix sensing region comprises:
 an mth sensing area comprising:
 a sensing unit; 
 a first transistor comprising a first end electrically coupled to the sensing unit in the mth sensing area of the nth row of sensing areas, a second end electrically coupled to an ith sensing line of the plurality of sensing lines, and a gate; and 
 a second transistor comprising a first end electrically coupled to the gate of the first transistor in the mth sensing area of the nth row of sensing areas, a gate electrically coupled to an nth driving line of the plurality of driving lines, and a second end electrically coupled to a (n+1)th driving line of the plurality of driving lines; and 
 
 a (m+1)th sensing area comprising:
 a sensing unit; 
 a first transistor comprising a first end electrically coupled to the sensing unit in the (m+1)th sensing area of the nth row of sensing areas, a second end electrically coupled to the ith sensing line, and a gate; and 
 a second transistor comprising a first end electrically coupled to the gate of the first transistor in the (m+1)th sensing area of the nth row of sensing areas, a gate electrically coupled to the nth driving line, and a second end electrically coupled to a (n+2)th driving line of the plurality of driving lines. 
 
 
     
     
       14. The matrix sensing apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the first and second transistors in the mth sensing area of the nth row of sensing areas control a signal connection between the sensing unit in the mth sensing area of the nth row of sensing areas and the ith sensing line based on a corresponding driving signal of the nth driving line and a corresponding driving signal of the (n+1)th driving line; and 
 the first and second transistors in the (m+1)th sensing area of the nth row of sensing areas control a signal connection between the sensing unit in the (m+1)th sensing area of the nth row of sensing areas and the ith sensing line based on the corresponding driving signal of the nth driving line and a corresponding driving signal of the (n+2)th driving line. 
 
     
     
       15. The matrix sensing apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the nth row of sensing areas of the matrix sensing region further comprises:
 a (m+2)th sensing area comprising:
 a sensing unit; 
 a first transistor comprising a first end electrically coupled to the sensing unit in the (m+2)th sensing area of the nth row of sensing areas, a second end electrically coupled to an (i+1)th sensing line of the plurality of sensing lines, and a gate; and 
 a second transistor comprising a first end electrically coupled to the gate of the first transistor in the (m+2)th sensing area of the nth row of sensing areas, a gate electrically coupled to the nth driving line, and a second end electrically coupled to the (n+1)th driving line; and 
 
 a (m+3)th sensing area comprising:
 a sensing unit; 
 a first transistor comprising a first end electrically coupled to the sensing unit in the (m+3)th sensing area of the nth row of sensing areas, a second end electrically coupled to the (i+1)th sensing line, and a gate; and 
 a second transistor comprising a first end electrically coupled to the gate of the first transistor in the (m+3)th sensing area of the nth row of sensing areas, a gate electrically coupled to the nth driving line, and a second end electrically coupled to the (n+2)th driving line. 
 
 
     
     
       16. The matrix sensing apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the first and second transistors in the (m+2)th sensing area of the nth row of sensing areas control a signal connection between the sensing unit in the (m+2)th sensing area of the nth row of sensing areas and the (i+1)th sensing line based on a corresponding driving signal of the nth driving line and a corresponding driving signal of the (n+1)th driving line; and 
 the first and second transistors in the (m+3)th sensing area of the nth row of sensing areas control a signal connection between the sensing unit in the (m+3)th sensing area of the nth row of sensing areas and the (i+1)th sensing line based on the corresponding driving signal of the nth driving line and a corresponding driving signal of the (n+2)th driving line. 
 
     
     
       17. The matrix sensing apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein a (n+1)nth row of sensing areas of the matrix sensing region comprises:
 an mth sensing area comprising:
 a sensing unit; 
 a first transistor comprising a first end electrically coupled to the sensing unit in the mth sensing area of the (n+1)th row of sensing areas, a second end electrically coupled to the ith sensing line, and a gate; and 
 a second transistor comprising a first end electrically coupled to the gate of the first transistor in the mth sensing area of the (n+1)th row of sensing areas, a gate electrically coupled to the (n+1)th driving line, and a second end electrically coupled to the (n+2)th driving line; and 
 
 a (m+1)th sensing area comprising:
 a sensing unit; 
 a first transistor comprising a first end electrically coupled to the sensing unit in the (m+1)th sensing area of the (n+1)th row of sensing areas, a second end electrically coupled to the ith sensing line, and a gate; and 
 a second transistor comprising a first end electrically coupled to the gate of the first transistor in the (m+1)th sensing area of the (n+1)th row of sensing areas, a gate electrically coupled to the (n+1)th driving line, and a second end electrically coupled to a (n+3)th driving line of the plurality of driving lines. 
 
 
     
     
       18. The matrix sensing apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein:
 the first and second transistors in the mth sensing area of the (n+1)th row of sensing areas control a signal connection between the sensing unit in the mth sensing area of the (n+1)th row of sensing areas and the ith sensing line based on a corresponding driving signal of the (n+1)th driving line and a corresponding driving signal of the (n+2)th driving line; and 
 the first and second transistors in the (m+1)th sensing area of the (n+1)th row of sensing areas control a signal connection between the sensing unit in the (m+1)th sensing area of the (n+1)th row of sensing areas and the ith sensing line based on the corresponding driving signal of the (n+1)th driving line and a corresponding driving signal of the (n+3)th driving line. 
 
     
     
       19. The matrix sensing apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the (n+1)th row of sensing areas of the matrix sensing region further comprises:
 a (m+2)th sensing area comprising:
 a sensing unit; 
 a first transistor comprising a first end electrically coupled to the sensing unit in the (m+2)th sensing area of the (n+1)th row of sensing areas, a second end electrically coupled to the (i+1)th sensing line, and a gate; and 
 a second transistor comprising a first end electrically coupled to the gate of the first transistor in the (m+2)th sensing area of the (n+1)th row of sensing areas, a gate electrically coupled to the (n+1)th driving line, and a second end electrically coupled to the (n+2)th driving line; and 
 
 a (m+3)th sensing area comprising:
 a sensing unit; 
 a first transistor comprising a first end electrically coupled to the sensing unit in the (m+3)th sensing area of the (n+1)th row of sensing areas, a second end electrically coupled to the (i+1)th sensing line, and a gate; and 
 a second transistor comprising a first end electrically coupled to the gate of the first transistor in the (m+3)th sensing area of the (n+1)th row of sensing areas, a gate electrically coupled to the (n+1)th driving line, and a second end electrically coupled to the (n+3)th driving line. 
 
 
     
     
       20. The matrix sensing apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein:
 the first and second transistors in the (m+2)th sensing area of the (n+1)th row of sensing areas control a signal connection between the sensing unit in the (m+2)th sensing area of the (n+1)th row of sensing areas and the (i+1)th sensing line based on a corresponding driving signal of the (n+1)th driving line and a corresponding driving signal of the (n+2)th driving line; and 
 the first and second transistors in the (m+3)th sensing area of the (n+1)th row of sensing areas control a signal connection between the sensing unit in the (m+3)th sensing area of the (n+1)th row of sensing areas and the (i+1)th sensing line based on the corresponding driving signal of the (n+1)th driving line and a corresponding driving signal of the (n+3)th driving line.